Benchmarking hospital clinical pharmacy practice using standardised key performance indicators (KPIs).

Hospital pharmacy services support quality use of medicines and medication safety through clinical pharmacy activities such as medication reviews and patient education. These activities can be measured and monitored using evidence-based and standardised key performance indicators (KPIs), which highlight the value of pharmacy services. Standardisation of KPIs supports long-term benchmarking and inter- and intra-site comparisons to target key areas for improvement in clinical pharmacy services.

Measuring the impact of pharmaceutical care bundle delivery on patient outcomes: an observational study.

Background: Clinical pharmacists perform activities to optimise medicines use and prevent patient harm. Historically, clinical pharmacy quality indicators have measured individual activities not linked to patient outcomes.

Aim: To determine the proportion of patients who receive a pharmaceutical care bundle (PCB) (consisting of a medication history, medication review, discharge medication list and medicines information on the discharge summary) as well as investigate the relationship between delivery of this PCB and patient outcomes.

Defining quality indicators, pharmaceutical care bundles and outcomes of clinical pharmacy service delivery using a Delphi consensus approach.

Background: Clinical pharmacy quality indicators are often non-uniform and measure individual activities not linked to outcomes.

Aim: To define a consensus agreed pharmaceutical care bundle and patient outcome measures across an entire state health service.

Method: A four-round modified-Delphi approach with state Directors of Pharmacy was performed (n = 25).

The impact of transition to a digital hospital on medication errors (TIME study).

Digital transformation in healthcare improves the safety of health systems. Within our health service, a new digital hospital has been established and two wards from a neighbouring paper-based hospital transitioned into the new digital hospital. This created an opportunity to evaluate the impact of complete digital transformation on medication safety.

Evaluation of the nature, severity, likelihood and preventability of medication-related hospital-acquired complications.

Objective Pricing for safety and quality was introduced into Australian hospitals using a defined list of hospital-acquired complications (HACs). Medication-related HACs include drug-related respiratory complications (DRRC), haemorrhagic disorder due to circulating anticoagulants (HDDCA) and hypoglycaemia. The aim of this study was to determine the probability, severity and preventability of medication-related HACs, common contributory medications and themes, and whether medication-related HACs are a suitable data source to inform risk associated with medicines use.

A stain on iron therapy.

Iron staining is an unwanted and in some cases permanent adverse effect of intravenous iron administration. Cosmetically unacceptable staining may cause distress and have psychological implications for the patient There should be a suitable indication for parenteral iron therapy. Patients must be advised of the risk of harm and give their informed consent before receiving parenteral iron Strategies to minimise the risks of staining with intravenous iron include appropriate cannulation and close monitoring of the infusion.

Accuracy of best possible medication history documentation by pharmacists at an Australian tertiary referral metropolitan hospital.

Aim: To determine the quality of best possible medication history (BPMH) taking activities undertaken by pharmacists. To identify factors which impact upon erroneous documentation. To assess risks associated with erroneous documentation of BPMH by pharmacists.